Olympic badminton champion Saina Nehwal has addressed recent social media speculation surrounding actor Parineeti Chopra unfollowing her on Instagram and also revealed that Shraddha Kapoor was originally the first choice to portray her in the biopic.
Parineeti played Saina in the 2021 sports drama Saina, directed by Amole Gupte. Although the film did not perform strongly at the box office, Parineeti’s performance earned critical appreciation for her effort and transformation into the badminton icon.
Saina Responds to Unfollow Speculation
Recently, fans noticed that Parineeti had unfollowed Saina on Instagram — even though the athlete continues to follow the actor. The move triggered online discussion and speculation about a possible rift.
Speaking in a conversation with journalist Vickey Lalwani, Saina clarified that she was unaware of the unfollow and chose not to read much into it.
“I didn’t know that she unfollowed me. Maybe she was focused on work and moved on after the film,” Saina said.
She further explained that while they trained together for the project, their interaction did not translate into a close personal friendship due to time constraints during production.
“Friendship requires spending time together. We weren’t meeting daily because the film had to be completed quickly,” she added.
Praising Parineeti’s Dedication
Saina acknowledged Parineeti’s hard work during preparation for the role.
According to her, the actor trained extensively under coach Shrikant Vad and practised regularly in Mumbai. Director Amole Gupte reportedly shared practice videos with Saina to ensure authenticity in portrayal.
She said learning even basic badminton skills typically takes about a year, but Parineeti managed to grasp core techniques — including serving, forehand, backhand, and movement on court — within four to five months.
“She worked very hard. I even got emotional watching the film,” Saina stated.
Shraddha Kapoor Was the Original Choice
In the same interview, Saina revealed that Shraddha Kapoor was initially selected to play her role before stepping away due to health reasons.
“She had agreed to do the film but had to opt out because she was suffering from dengue. We are still in touch and have met many times. She’s very sweet,” Saina shared.
The revelation adds another layer to the behind-the-scenes journey of the biopic before Parineeti eventually took on the role.
Current Status
Meanwhile, Parineeti Chopra — who recently welcomed her first child with husband Raghav Chadha — has not responded publicly to the ongoing discussions.
With Saina’s latest remarks, the controversy appears to be settled through clarity rather than speculation.
